SAN DIEGO & SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation (NYSEMKT:APHB), a global leader in developing bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapies to treat drug-resistant infections, congratulates the Westmead Institute’s Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology for winning an AUD $860,000 grant from the Australian Government to isolate and develop phages that target two serious human pathogens, E. Coli and Klebsiella. AmpliPhi will participate in the project by providing its proprietary expertise in bacteriophage isolation, characterization and manufacturing scale-up.
AmpliPhi’s Vice President of Research, Sandra Morales, is a Chief Investigator on the grant and will collaborate with lead investigator, Professor Jon Iredell from the Westmead Institute and Westmead Hospital in Sydney.
“I would like to thank Professor Iredell for including AmpliPhi in his research proposal, as well as the Australian government for their generous support,” said M. Scott Salka, CEO of AmpliPhi Biosciences. “This grant enables a collaboration between world-class Australian research institutions and AmpliPhi Biosciences to cooperatively attack the rising threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”
Dr. Morales added: “We are excited to continue our shared interest in applying scientific rigor to the development of novel bacteriophage-based therapies to treat clinically relevant pathogens. Bacteriophages are natural, viral predators of bacteria, and targeted bacteriophage therapy has the potential to become an important tool in the fight against bacteria-mediated infections.”
Professor Iredell’s research proposal focuses on infectious diseases, the transmission of antibiotic resistance and the use of phages to treat certain infections. Dr. Iredell commented: “We welcome this partnership between our academic research organization and an industrial partner with the capacity to translate findings into therapeutic products. This therapeutic approach is important because it offers an alternative treatment method with greater precision than ordinary antibiotics.”
He added: “It is increasingly obvious that more intelligent management of bacterial populations, whether in a human or an animal or in a global ecosystem, is as essential as the intelligent management of our oceans and rainforests. Careful studies of how bacteria respond to their natural predators, bacteriophages, are central to this, and we look forward to learning from nature and building on the excellent research that has preceded us.”
For more information, visit www.ampliphibio.com.
A story detailing the research can be read at www.westmeadinstitute.org.au
About AmpliPhi Biosciences
AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation
(NYSEMKT: APHB) is a biotechnology company focused on the development
and commercialization of novel bacteriophage-based antibacterial
therapeutics. AmpliPhi's product development programs target infections
that are often resistant to existing antibiotic treatments. AmpliPhi is
collaborating with a number of leading organizations, including Intrexon
Corporation (NYSE: XON), the U.S. Army, The Royal Brompton Hospital in
London, UK and UK-based University of Leicester, to advance
bacteriophage-based therapies.
About Bacteriophages
Bacteriophages are naturally occurring
viruses that are highly specific for the bacterial hosts they infect.
They can rapidly kill their host, amplifying themselves in the process.
Bacteriophages are unaffected by antibiotic resistance and are able to
disrupt bacterial biofilms. Such biofilms are a major line of defense
for bacteria, contributing to antibiotic resistance. Bacteriophages are
able to penetrate biofilms and replicate locally to high levels, to
produce strong local therapeutic effects.
About The Westmead Institute for Medical Research
The
Westmead Institute is one of the largest medical research institutes in
Australia, conducting research into a wide range of important human
disorders affecting both adults and children. The Westmead Institute’s
researchers are world leaders in breast and ovarian cancer, melanoma and
leukemia, diabetes, major infectious diseases including HIV; autoimmune
diseases including multiple sclerosis; kidney, liver, heart, respiratory
and eye diseases; mental health and neuroscience. Proudly affiliated
with The University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital, the Institute’s
bench-to-bedside philosophy of translating findings into clinical
practice ensures patients benefit from research discoveries.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release
that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, without
limitation, statements about AmpliPhi’s participation in the grant
project and collaboration with the Westmead Institute’s Centre for
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, the ability to develop
bacteriophages into drug products, the ability to isolate,
characterize and manufacture bacteriophages, the potential use of
bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections, including infections that
do not respond to antibiotics, infections caused by E. coli and Klebsiella
and AmpliPhi’s development of bacteriophage-based therapies. Words such
as “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “may,”
“goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements
necessarily contain these identifying words. These forward-looking
statements are based upon AmpliPhi’s current expectations and involve a
number of risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties
described in AmpliPhi’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended September 30, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Actual results and the timing of events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as
a result of these risks and uncertainties. You are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak
only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking
statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement,
and AmpliPhi undertakes no obligation to revise or update any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date of this press release.